Dual‐Functional LiCl Additive for Highly Reversible Zinc Metal Anode
Yang Song, Yongduo Liu, Daojun Long, Xiongxin Tao, Shijian Luo, Yuran Yang, Hao Chen, Meng Wang, Siguo Chen, Zidong Wei
Abstract
Abstract Zinc metal has emerged as a promising candidate for high‐capacity and low‐cost anodes in aqueous zinc‐ion batteries; nevertheless, it encounters serious obstacles, including low cycling stability and poor reversibility, caused by parasitic reactions and the formation of zinc dendrites. Herein, the study proposes a novel nonprotonic dimethylacetamide (DMAC)/ZnCl 2 /LiCl electrolyte that enables both solvation structural modulation of [ZnCl x ] 2‐x and the cationic electrostatic shielding effect of [Li(DMAC)] + by controlling the concentration of LiCl. The optimal concentration of LiCl electrolyte (0.28 m ), which results in the highest ratio of [ZnCl 3 ] − , strikes a balance between low desolvation energy and a high mass transfer rate while promoting homoepitaxial deposition of Zn (002). Moreover, inert [Li(DMAC)] + ions, which possess a lower reduction potential, preferentially adsorb onto zinc protrusions, mitigating the tip effect. Leveraging electrolyte engineering, the zinc deposition/stripping process results in impressive long‐term stability, surpassing 2,800 cycles, and the Zn||MnO 2 cell also achieves a stable lifespan extending beyond 1400 cycles. The research highlights the potential of LiCl as an additive in the modulation of water‐free electrolytes.